exhaust fan recomendation

[jimmy]

hey all-
getting ready to build a smoking room in my unfinished basement. gonna be about 20x15, drywall. i have access to the banboard to exhaust directly outside. i want something that will make sure the rest of my house is not affected by smoke and smell. does anyone have any recomendations for a unit that can be installed into the ceiling, not too large in size(limited room), and will exhaust to the outside?
any help or info greatly appreciated.
thanx in advance,
jimmy

[Mayor]

I know a lot of bars use a brand called 'Smokeater'. I'm not sure of the sizes or $$$.

[jimmy]

mayor-
thanx for the info. i will do some searching on that brand name. that is what i was hoping for was something that you might find in a bar, or smoke shop.
thanx again
jimmy

[MoTheMan]

Hey Jimmy,

You might want to start with the Havana Club in downtown Baltimore and find out what kind of smoke eater they use . . . and then go from there. Good Luck.

MoTheMan

[sirwood]

(first post to forum ....)

I am working on a wine cellar/smoking room, and I installed a Broan in-line ventilator (see below).

This unit is basically a bathroom exhaust fan with a remote blower. I selected this unit because:
- exhaust to outdoors; no smoke treatment required
- remote blower should reduce noise in smoking room
- cost ($~110)

I installed a screw-cap damper in the smoking room to control the exhaust rate. I also installed a timer switch to allow for the fan to exhaust the room for a preset time after I leave.

Be sure to tape your ductwork seams to minimize leaks. I also insulated the ductwork to minimize noise.

________________________

http://www.broan.com/product-detail.asp?ProductID=547
Single-Port In-Line Ventilator
Model SP100

Easily handle extended duct runs.
6” round outlet and inlet for easy duct connections.
Plug-in blower simplifies service.
Air performance is HVI certified and AMCA licensed.

Exhaust Fans: In-Line Ventilators
Super-quiet, high-capacity ventilation.

Our remote in-line units are the quietest, most efficient residential ventilation systems available. It’s a pretty simple concept. Mount a high-performance ventilator in an out-of-the-way spot and you get the high-capacity ventilation, with virtually no sound.

Suitable for intermittent or continuous ventilation applications.

Install the housing in the attic, basement, or wherever is most convenient.
Energy-efficient, permanently lubricated motors with high pressure centrifugal blowers easily accommodate long duct runs.
Designed for quick, easy installation.
Removable panels offer easy access to the motor without disturbing ductwork.

[jimmy]

thank you very much sirwood!

have you actually used it yet? can you rate it or give an experience on its performance?

thanx again!
jimmy

[sirwood]

Sorry - no results yet from my fan installation - I am still in the construction phase. However, I do have a couple of additional thoughts:


- As long as your room is well sealed, you should not have significant odors in the rest of your house. You should consider weatherstripping on your door(s) and caulking any wall openings, including baseboard. I have installed wall outlet/switch gaskets in other areas of my house.
- Even with a well sealed room, eventually you have to remove the smoke. And you have a large room (I am smoking in a old walk-in fridge (6x12). You will have to size the fan to accomodate your room, and you should consider placing the fan/exhaust duct near your main smoking area.

By my estimates, your 15x20 room (with 8' ceiling) is 2400 ft3, meaning you need 40 cfm to change the room air in an hour. For bathrooms, it is recommended that you change the air 8x/hr (kitchens 15x). Assuming 8x, this equates to a 320 cfm fan. This does not take into account any resistance from your ductwork.

This is a big fan. Unless you spend big bucks (or have a good remote blower), this could be loud. This is why I would recommend you investigate a remote blower, and consider locating your exhaust near your proposed main smoking area. You should be able to get away with a smaller fan.

Panasonic has some good discussion on fan sizing:
http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_el...entilation.asp
They also makes some good/quiet bathroom fans - not 320 cfm, and they are expensive ($~280).

I also noticed that Broan has some utility ventilators where they reference tobacco smoke.
http://www.broan.com/product-categor...CategoryID=790
Please note the sones ratings - these are loud fans.
They do make a remote blower (e.g., inline ventilator) at 200 cfm.